Air tube for tires



May 4 1926. 1,582,972

J. E. COURTNEY AIR TUBE FOR TIRES Filed Jan. 16, 1924 J I J 7 4 7 I Patented May 4,1926. r

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JONATHAN E. COUBTIIEY, OF FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

AIR TUBE FOR TIRES.

Application filed January 16, 1924. Serial No. 686,583.

is divided into a plurality of air compartments whereby should said tube become.

punctured the air will escape from but one of the air chambers and thereby allow the machine to be driven to a service station without any material damage resulting to the tire shoe. I

An additional object of this invention resides in the provision of an air tube wherein the same is divided into a plurality of air compartments that is providedwith but a single air inlet valve, the tube andvalve being so formed as to permit the air to pass to all of the air chambers of the tire during a single air injecting operation.

A still further object of the invention re sides 'in the provision of an article of the above character, wherein the same may be manufactured and marketed at a cost but slightly greater than the cost of air tubes now universally employed.

With the foregoing and other objects in view as will appear as the description pro ceeds the invention comprises the novel form of an air tubehereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying draw ing and claimed.

In the drawing, 1 v

Figure 1 is a detailed sectional view through the most preferable embodiment of the present invention, and

Figure 2 is a somewhat similar view through a slightly modified form of air tube constructed in accordance'with the present invention.

, First having reference to Figure 1, the air tube 5 which is of a suitable rubber composition is of substantially the same shape as the air tubes now employed in conjunction with pneumatic tires, In the present instance,

however, this air tube 5 is formed intern-ally.

with a circumferentially extending vertically disposed partition wall '6 and a circumferentially central transversely disposed partition wall 7 for dividing the air tube into outer air-compartments 8 and 9 and inner compartments 10 and 11. V

The inner surface of the tube 5 is formed with an opening 12 within which is arranged one end of avalve stem 13 that is formed with four air passageways 14..- The portion of the vertically arranged partition wall 6 ad acent this valve stem 13, is considerably thickened as indicated at 15 forming a local enlargement and the same is provided with a pair of spaced air passages 16 and 17 ex tending radially outward that lead from certaln passageways within the valve stem .13 into the air chambers 6 and 8, the other passageways within said valve stem leading into ilie-lowermost pair of air chambers 10" and It will be clearly noted that by applying an air hoseto the valve stem 13 all four of the chambers will be inflated, and should any one of these chambers become punctured the vehicle may be driven to a service station and that particular air chamber of the tubei repaired, it being of course noted that a dischargeof air from but one or even two of these air chambers will not totally deflate the tire and thereby i'esult in damage tothe tire shoe when the vehicle is being driven to,

a service station. 7

In the form of the invention shown in F gure 2, 5 indicates the air tube which is provided with a pair of spaced vertically arranged circumferentially extending partition wall's 6,and 7, respectively. These partition walls obviously divide the tube 5 into air chambers 18, 19 and 20.

In this instance the innermost surface of the tube 5' is formed with an opening '12 within which is arranged the outlet end of an airrinlet nipple 13 'which in this instance is formed with three air passageways 1 1. At a point directly above this valve,

stem 13' the partition ,walls 6 and 7 are joined together by a cross strip 21 that is spaced from the adjacent portion of the tube 5' for providing air passagesbetween the valve stem and the outermost air chambers 18 and 20. This connecting wall 21 between the partition walls is formed with an air inlet opening 22, whereby air passing through the central passage of the stem 13' will pass into the central air chamber 19.

1 Similar results are-produced by an inner tube of this character, and in view of the foregoing it will at once be apparent to those skilled in the art, that I have provided a highly novel, useful and eflicient form of air tube and one that will meet with all of the requirements for a successful commercial use.

I Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is a A tire tube structure comprising a tube proper, a valve stem penetrating the tube proper and having. an end surface approximately flush with the inner surface of the tube proper, said valve stem being provided with a plurality of longitudinally disposed passage ways, the inner ends of said passage ways lying in the plane of the inner end sur face of the stem whereby the inner ends of the passage ways are substantially flush with the inner surface of the tube, a partition wall located interiorly of the tube proper, and

joined with the valve stem at the center of its inner end and extending diametrically of the tube proper, a pair of partition walls extending from the first partition wall in opposite directions from intermediate portions thereof, said partition walls forming two outer compartments and two inner compartments, 'said first mentioned partition wall having a local enlargement extending from the juncture of the second partition walls therewith to the inner surface of the tube circumferentially aligned with the inner end of the valve stem, said local enlargement provided with passageways leading from the inner passage ways of the stem to the. two outer compartments, the other passage ways of the stem communicating with the two inner compartments.

In testimony whereof I JONATHAN COURTNEY.

affix my signature. 

